Providing SAF CFEs

Why should our organization offer SAF CFE credit?
Over 6,000 professionals a year look for the SAF CFE credit or logo when seeking continuing education programs to meet their needs. The SAF CFE credit indicates that the program meets quality standards and the program offers SAF CFEs that are applicable toward maintaining national certification, licensure renewal, career advancement and the SAF Professional Development Award.

How does an event get evaluated?
Events must get evaluated BEFORE the event takes place. For workshops, seminars, conference, lectures, field trips, and live videoconferences, providers can send the CFE Evaluation Application and a complete agenda to the local CFE Coordinator or to the Certification Review Board via the SAF National Office.

For online self-study and self-directed professional development activities, the CFE Evaluation Application should be returned to the Certification Review Board via the SAF National Office.

What information must appear on the agenda?
The agenda must include times for presentations, breaks, and meals; names and titles of presenters; and brief description of individual presentations. For field trips, the length at each stop must appear on the agenda or on the CFE Evaluation Application.

Can a provider appeal the decision of an evaluated event?
Yes, a provider must contact the Continuing Education Subcommittee (CEC) of the Certification Review board (CRB) within 14 days of receiving notification of an evaluated event. The CEC will review the information and render a decision.

Providers may appeal decisions of the CEC to the CRB. Decisions made by the CRB regarding appeals are final.

What documentation should attendees receive?

Attendees must receive a certificate of completion/attendance. The certificate must contain the providers name and contact information; title/name of the program; date and location (city and state) of the program; attendee's name; the number of hours earned (broken down when appropriate).

How does a provider verify attendance?
Providers can verify attendance in several ways:

Registration records which indicate those attendees that registered for a single day, entire event, optional events, or were no-shows.

Sign in sheets can also be used to track attendance at concurrent sessions and optional events.

Self-assessment reports should indicate that an individual passed the assessment. Self-assessment reports are mainly utilized for online activities.

What documentation is sent to the SAF National Office after the event?
No later than three weeks after the conclusion of an event, providers must submit the final agenda AND sign-in sheets OR registration records to the SAF National Office via mail at CFE, 5400 Grosvenor Lane; Bethesda, MD 20814; via e-mail at cillayp@safnet.org; or fax at 301 897-3690.

If a provider fails to submit the above information, the CRB reserves the right to immediately remove CFE credit in its entirety.

How will attendance records be used?
Attendance records will be available to the Certification Review Board and state boards of licensure for validating continuing forestry education requirements within a specific credentialing program. It will also be used during the audit process of CFE coordinators and national office staff.

Will attendance records be confidential?
The information will not be used for any other purpose or distributed to a third party other than the state boards of licensures without the written consent of the provider.

Can providers use the CFE logo?
The Continuing Forestry Education logo is a registered trademark of the Society of American Foresters (Registration Number 1339612). Providers can utilize the CFE logo only for those programs approved for CFE credit by the Society of American Foresters. Any other use of the logo is prohibited.

An electronic version of the CFE logo can be obtained by contacting Pat Cillay at cillayp@safnet.org.

Can providers use the CF or the SAF logo?
The Certified Forester logo, SAF shield logo, and SAF insignia are registered trademarks of the Society of American Foresters (Registration Numbers 2857453; 1280986; and 2859568 respectively).

The CF trademark cannot be utilized when promoting continuing education events that have CFE credit hours. The continuing education event is not certified.

Approval for CFE credit does not entitle the provider to use the SAF shield logo or SAF insignia on any materials. Only programs with pre-approved sponsorship or conducted by an SAF local unit can utilize the SAF logo and or insignia on promotional materials.

Can company training for forestry employees receive SAF CFE credit?
Yes, however any content that is specific to a particular agency or company cannot be given SAF CFEs.

Can the Certification Review Board remove SAF CFE credit for an event?
The CRB retains the right to remove CFE credit at any time for one or more of the following reasons:

Misrepresentation of SAF CFE credit approval by SAF.

Use of the Society of American Foresters name, including any local SAF unit name, SAF shield logo, SAF insignia, sponsorship, and/or endorsement of a program without written consent from SAF National Office or local SAF unit.

Improper use of the Certified Forester logo with promotion of SAF CFE credit hours or meeting materials.

Major changes to educational content or presentation format after SAF CFE credit hours are approved without notification to the CFE coordinator or SAF National Office.

Failure to follow proper approval procedures.

Release of self-assessment scores to anyone other than the participant without the participant's written consent.